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Addressing BIRS Implementation Challenges

Myrna Veguilla

Anna Winneker

University of South Florida

Questions?

Use the Q&A panel to submit questions/comments

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Agenda

• Introduce updated BIRS Excel workbook• Q&A

• Implementation considerations• Q&A

•Wrap up

Our goal is that all young children and their families can access high quality

programs

Professionals work in

partnership with families

Children have positive social,

emotional, and

behavioral outcomes

No incidents of suspension and expulsion

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Prevention and Promotion

Focus on promotion of social and emotional skills and prevention of challenging behavior.

Even when these practices are in place, some young children will engage in challenging

behavior.

Young children will experience challenging behavior

• It begins early• Between 10-30% of preschool

children are not behaviorally and emotionally ready to succeed in school

•Early problem behavior is predictive of future challenges

• Best predictor of delinquency in adolescence, gang membership, incarceration

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Building Staff Capacity including Coaching

Responding to Challenging

Behavior

Leadership Team

Staff Buy-In

Family Engagement

Providing Interventions to Children

with Persistent Challenging

Behavior

Data Decision-Making

Examining Implementation and Outcomes

The Behavior Incident Report System (BIRS)

•Utilized by programs to collect and analyze behavior incidents in classrooms in order to address behaviors of concern

•Main goal is to support programs, teachers, and children

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BIR Analysis as a Powerful Tool

Data that guide decisions related to behavior prevention and response

Data for identifying and addressing concerns related to discipline

responses

Summary data for challenging behavior across classrooms that provides who, when, where of

incidents and how adults respond that might inform program practices

Data to identify children and teachers in need of support

Accessing the BIRS

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Downloading the BIRS

What’s Included?• BIRS Overview Fact Sheet• BIR Teacher Fact Sheet• BIRS Excel Workbook (Blank and Demo versions)

• BIR Form• Instructions for when to complete a BIR with link to teacher training

• BIRS Data Decision-Making Guide

• BIRS Data Entry Guide

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BIRS version 2.2 (July 2020)

What’s New?•Program Information tab: 50 classroom IDs•Child Enrollment tab: search function, sorting•Data Entry tab: updated ‘view’•Formatting changes•Child ID tab: deletion of Incidents by Day, addition of Incidents by Time, addition of Classroom ID filter

•Distribution by Class ID: addition of child IDs

Let’s take a look …

Classroom ID % of Total Incidents Total # of Incidents

1 35.42% 255

C32 0.56% 4

C1 34.86% 251

11 21.11% 152

C25 0.14% 1

C32 1.67% 12

C29 0.97% 7

C38 4.03% 29

C24 0.83% 6

C18 0.42% 3

C39 10.28% 74

C37 0.56% 4

C26 1.53% 11

C31 0.69% 5

12 19.72% 142

C32 13.89% 100

C29 0.14% 1

C38 0.42% 3

C35 1.11% 8

C28 4.17% 30

7 9.44% 68

C20 3.06% 22

C6 0.14% 1

C40 6.25% 45

5 4.31% 31

C9 1.81% 13

C36 0.42% 3

Problem Behavior

Breaking/Destroying obje...

Disruption/Tantrums

Hurting self

Inappropriate language

Inconsolable crying

Non‐compliance

Other

Physical aggression

Activity

Arrival

Centers/Indoor play

Circle/Large group activity

Clean‐up

Departure

Individual activity

Meals

Other

Others Involved

Assistant Teacher

Classroom volunteer

Family Member

None

Other

Peers

Substitute

Support/Administrative s...

Possible Motivation

Avoid adults

Avoid peers

Avoid task

Don't know

Gain adult attention/Com...

Gain peer attention

Obtain desired activity

Obtain desired item

Response

Loss of activity

Move within group

Other

Physical guidance

Physical hold/Restrain

Provide physical comfort

Redirect to different activ...

Remove from activity

Administrative Follow‐Up

Arrange behavioral consu...

Contact family

Dismissal from program

Not Applicable

Other

Sent home for 1 or more ...

Sent home for remainder ...

Talk with child

Gender

Female

Male

DLL

DLL

Non‐DLL

IEP Ethnicity Race

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BIRS Excel Spreadsheet

•You can still use the previous version

•So, Google… has new features = BIRS Excel Spreadsheet CAN be converted but requires revisions• Will NCPMI convert it??• TBD

•Also, if you use SWIS, EC-SWIS is also available but not free

Previously asked questions

• Q: How many children can be entered into the system at a site? 175

• Q: Are children entered at the onset of using the BIRS? Or are children entered only if a behavior occurs? You only enter children when you first enter a BIR

• Q: Does the BIRS need to be purchased? No, it’s free!

• Q: Who enters these data? Decided at program level. Assign a data entry person(s) to enter data at least once a week.

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Data Use

•Confidentiality:• We encourage use of child and classroom IDs when

using the BIRS to ensure confidentiality• How do I assign IDs? Check out our YouTube

channel for a walkthrough on creating IDs.

•Data Ownership:• Your data are yours, NCPMI does not have access to

your data. Only you can share your data.

Using the BIRS: Frequently Asked Questions

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New Resource: BIRS Readiness Checklist

• Is your program ready? How do you know?

• BIRS Readiness Checklist

• Digging Into Data Webinar #2: Addressing Challenging Behavior through Data: Implementing the BIRS in an Early Childhood Program

Implementation Considerations

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Ask your questions

Sometimes we hear….

I am here to teach, not

collect data.

I hate data.

I don’t have time.

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Start at the BeginningBIR Form

•Develop a process for using BIRs in your program

• Forms• How will you duplicate them? • Who will do it?• How will forms be collected?

What Every Teacher Wants to Know About the BIR

•Addresses common questions and answers from teachers

•Reviews logistics of completing BIRs

•Addresses teacher concerns about BIR

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‘I am here to teach, not to collect data’

• Introduce collecting with enthusiasm

• Make it relatable

• Use the ‘Behavior Incident Report: Staff Introduction’ PowerPoint

• Emphasize benefits to teachers, classrooms and programs

BIR Intro for Teachers Sample Slides

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Ways to Use BIR data

‘I have only ever used BIRS for individualized supports. Can’t it be used for prevention before this level of support is needed?’

Classroom-levelProgram-level

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

(blank) September October November December January February March April May June

Total # of Incidents by Month

Classroom Level Example

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Program-Wide Example From ‘Program Summary’ of BIRs

Can BIRs be used in Behavior Support Planning?

•Data can inform behavior support plans. Can assist with:

• Identifying function • Identifying problematic

activity/routine• Identifying responses to

behavior incidents previously used

•Additional data will need to be collected for individualized planning

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Addressing Time ‘When we used BIRS last year, teachers said even when it’s just a check mark it takes a lot of time.’

Questions to Consider:•How were teachers trained to complete the BIR?

• Is this the majority of teachers or just a couple?

•Has any additional coaching for completing the BIR occurred?

Sharing Data

•Frequently share data •Graphical representation •Select data based on purpose of sharing

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Family Child Care Homes

•Training •Complete BIRs•Program-Wide Approach•Part of Individualized Behavior Support Planning

Should BIRs be completed for distance learning?

Considerations:•What is considered a ‘behavior incident’?

•Purpose of data collection

•Partnering with families

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Trainings• How will staff be trained (new and existing)?

• How and when to complete a BIR

• Teachers and staff who might complete a BIR

• How to enter data• Data entry staff• Data coordinator

• Data Analysis• Use the BIRS Data-Based Decision-

Making Guide• Webinars

Data-Based Decision-Making and Data Review

•Use the guide to review data• Monthly• Equity data quarterly

•Where do I start? There are so many charts and tables!

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•Next webinar: Data-Based Decision-Making Using the BIRS

•November, 2020 (registration announced in October)

Questions

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Survey and Certificate

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Live Viewers• Email with survey

link (in 1 hour)

Recording Viewers• Type URL from

recording into a web browser window

• URL is case sensitive

ChallengingBehavior.org

40

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Thank You

The contents of this presentation were developed under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, #H326B170003. However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. Project officer, Sunyoung Ahn.